USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 32
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A weekly called the LABOR WORLD was started as a local organ for the Knights of Labor in 1886 by Arthur Williams, W. S. Leffew and Sidney H. Saltzgaber, all three printers by trade, and continued after the local order had practically disbanded by Mr. Williams alone, in connection with his job printing business, as a sort of labor organ in general. Leffew and Saltz- gaber withdrew from the firm after only a few months of proprietorship. Williams continued the publication of the paper until 1888.
THE ECHO
was a musical monthly started by John Franklin Kinsey in the fall of 1885. Professor Kinsey removed hither about that time from Ohio, where he had been director of music in some college, and where he had started the College
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Echo. He brought the periodical along with him when he came to Lafayette to engage in teaching and the music publishing business. He dropped out the "College" and continued "The Echo" in Lafayette. The paper at one time attained a very large circulation. While still in Ohio, Professor Kinsey, in association with Professor Hanson, then of Green Hill. Warren county, now Williamsport, had written and published a book of Sunday-school music, which already enjoyed some sale. Mr. Kinsey had the faculty of writing bright. catchy, popular music, and his monthly and individual sheet music were widely popular. In June, 1886, Joseph E. Pauley bought a half interest in the monthly and the publishing business. At that time the Echo had but a limited circulation : but it "took" wonderfully, and with one issue raised to a circulation of seventy-five thousand copies, widely distributed over the country. The ordinary newspaper postage bill for the magazine was two thous- and six hundred dollars per year. In March following, the Echo Music Company. as the firm now became known, bought the Rosser, McClure and Morley printing plant and went into the general printing and publishing business. In July, 1902, Mr. Pauley withdrew from the business, which Mr. Kinsey continued alone for about five years longer, at the end of which time he sold the printing plant and removed to Chicago with his publishing inter- est, including the Echo; publication of which, however, was soon after dis- continued. Professor Kinsey subsequently turned the publishing business over to his son Carl and opened a music store in Fort Wayne, but soon disposed of it because of his failing health, and died in October. 1908.
OTHER NEWSPAPERS.
Of other papers long since gone the way of all the earth may be named the Wabash Mercury. started by R. R. Houston in 1838; it was also run under the name of Indiana Eagle.
The Commercial Intelligencer, by T. T. Benbridge, in 1836.
Jeffries Miscellany, about 1840, by Cyrus Jeffries.
Lafayette Standard, by Mr. Dunny, in 1842.
Lafayette Weekly Gazette, a Know-Nothing organ, by Stephen Stafford, in 1854.
Lafayette American (daily), by Howe and Pomeroy. 1854; it was bought by John S. Williams and brother, who called it the Argus. It died in 1864.
Lafayette Commercial Advertiser. by Rosser. Spring and Cowan, in 1863-later called the Indiana State Commercial and published by N. A. Chamberlain and Fred Howe.
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Home Advocate, by the Home Insurance Company, in 1865; also the Central Gazette, by the Central Insurance Company, the same year.
Beobachter am Wabash, by a joint stock company, 1858; changed in 1868 to the Indiana Post, published by Louis Kimmel.
Indiana Union, by Samuel Royce, 1863.
Lafayette Herold (German) , by B. F. Beninghausen, 1871.
The Index, by H. C. Smith and F. E. Coonrod, 1868. It was a weekly Democratic paper and ran from about July Ist to the November election, then died.
These papers existed for terms ranging from three weeks to five or six years. There were also several juvenile papers conducted here.
Carriers who delivered newspapers were first introduced in Lafayette in 1847, and such has been the practice ever since.
What was styled the "Temperance Son." the monthly organ for the Sons of Temperance, was published at Lafayette at a subscription price of fifty cents per year.
The Lafayette Journal and Free-Press was made a tri-weekly paper in December, 1845, but owing to lack of support such issue was suspended in January the following year. the list not having reached the three hundred subscribers needed to support it.
In 1847 the newspapers carried this notice in their local columns: "Our Bank Note List will be corrected weekly, and it will prove a quite convenient matter for both business men and farmers who desire to know just what dis- count there is on the Bank Notes in circulation."
In 1872 Joseph L. Cox & Brother began the publication of a juvenile paper called The Bee, and in 1875 engaged Col. James Tullis as editor, and endeavored to sustain it as a two-cent daily, as heir to the Republican, else- where referred to. They continued it about seven months, when they gave up the effort and dropped back into a weekly. About the beginning of 1876 they connected with it an educational feature and it was published as The Bee and Teacher for a short time ; but suspended soon after.
THIE PURDUE EXPONENT is the special representative of the Purdue student, published daily, during the college year. under different editors and managers chosen by the students, and is quite generally read and circu- lated by the students. It had been published since 1889, having been started as a monthily ; in 1895 changed to a semi-monthly and in October, 1906, to a daily. It seems to be in a healthy and successful condition at the present time.
CHAPTER AV.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
( Approved by Dr. S. S. Washburn.)
The family doctor and the surgeon within any community are indeed persons who hold great responsibility, having. as they do, the lives of men. women and children in their hands. As much as the medicines prescribed by them are disliked and with all the hard things said of the profession. at large, and as little as the physicians are appreciated when one is in the happy possession of good health, yet when the fevered brow and quickened pulse is felt, when life looks dark and all seems doubtful and full of gloom. it is then that the good physician is called and duly appreciated. for he under- stands just what is needed to place the sick man in possession of good health and happiness again. The followers of Galen have ever been in the van- guard of civilization, to visit the sick chamber and restore life and strength to those languishing on beds of sickness. They have braved the storms of mid-winter and the torrid heat of long summer months, in the settlement of all new countries, when on horseback they have made their long, tedious journeys over hill and dale. through angry streams and over desolate wastes, in order to reach and relieve the suffering sick of communities.
The science of medicine in the last half century has made rapid advance- ment, and in surgery the last twenty-five years has revolutionized the science entirely. The great colleges, hospitals and universities have educated a vast army of capable men who have progressed to a point where the diseases once thought almost incurable have come to be looked upon as simple in treat- ment. The per cent. of cases lost now is comparatively small to what they were in pioneer days. Every county owes much to the good. faithful phy- sician, who often goes unpaid for his services, but never refuses to admin- ister to the needs of those in distress.
Coming to the pioneer physicians of Tippecanoe county, let it be said that they ranked well among others of Indiana at that day. The pioneer physicians of Lafayette included Othniel L. Clark. J. N. Bradfield. James Davis, Robert Martin. Loyal Fairman, David Jennings. Nathan Jackson, Benjamin Carlisle. Elizur Deming. I. N. Bladen and Luther Jewett.
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Of this number there were several who attained eminence in other roles within the state of Indiana. Dr. Clark served eight years in the state legis- lature as a member of the house; also served in the state senate, and was appointed. with two other gentlemen, by the general government, to examine the accounts with the Miami Indians. This was in 1841. He was also a member of the state constitutional convention in 1851.
Dr. Deming was an ardent, able anti-slavery advocate and true states- man ; served one term in the legislature of Indiana; filled important chairs in two medical colleges in this state and one at St. Louis, Missouri. He was also the nominee of the "Liberty" party for governor of his state.
On the Wea Prairie were Doctors John Durkee, Harry L. Doubleday and Paris Mendenhall, all of whom were esteemed as skillful physicians and worthy members of society.
At Fairfield, now called Dayton, James Gentry, Dr. Fullenweider. Dr. Horrom and John S. Davis, M. D., were successful practitioners.
At Americus resided Dr. Anthony Garrett, and west of the Wabash river practiced Doctor Conduits, but who removed to other parts after a few years.
Coming down to the physicians of a more modern date, it may be stated that among the oldest in practice of their profession at this time are Dr. George F. Beasley, a graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago, of the class of 1864; Dr. S. S. Washburn, a graduate of the University of Louis- ville, Kentucky, in 1861 : Dr. Samuel R. Seawright, of the Indiana Medical College, of the class of 1849; Dr. J. F. Simison, of Romney, a Rush Medical graduate of 1869; John M. Smith of the Hahnemann Medical College, of Chicago, 1869; Erastus Test, a graduate of 1873 ; Jerome H. Crane, Dayton, a graduate of Rush Medical College of 1868: and Frank P. Gray, Medical College of Ohio, 1876; also James A. Gray of the Medical College of Indiana with the class of 1875. Personal sketches and biographies of many of the physicians now practicing in this county will be found in the biographical department of this work. A few points of interest may be here given con- cerning some of the medical practitioners of the county, additional to that already mentioned, and which may not be touched on in the personal sketches of the physicians of the county.
Dr. E. Deming, of Lafayette, was spoken of as follows by a Masonic writer: "Deservedly prominent among the Masons of Indiana, as well as in the past history of our city (written in 1877). stands the name of Dr. Elizur Deming. He was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, March 4. 1798, and married Hester Carpenter, of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, July
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7, 1818. He descended from the Pilgrim Fathers, and their notions were largely impressed upon his nature. After finishing his collegiate and medi- cal education, he emigrated to Ohio, practicing at both Milford and Chilli- cothe. In 1834 he moved to Lafayette, Indiana, where he at once took high rank among the physicians of the place. He stood high throughout the entire northwest. To him a poor man or woman was as well treated as though they possessed wealth. His sole aim was to know how best to alle- viate human suffering. He moved through the sick room with the gentle- ness of a child: his natural kindness of heart made at once a deep impres- sion on his patients and begat a love and confidence. This was in many cases more effective than big doses of medicine. He was broad-minded and had no use for bickerings and with the struggling young doctors he was ever a friend and aided them in solving their future success as physicians. He held the chair of materia medica when the Indiana Medical College was founded for about three years, and in 1852 became connected with the State Medical University of Missouri and held a high place in that school at the date of his death, February 22. 1855. He was a fine public speaker, an orator, and stumped Indiana for Gen. William Henry Harrison. He served one term in the Indiana legislature, being sent there by the Whig party."
Dr. Samuel Ramsey Seawright was born in 1824 in Butler county, Ohio. He studied medicine with Dr. Deming, of Lafayette, and graduated from the Medical College of Indiana in 1850. In 1860 he attended Rush Medical College, and located at Dayton, this county, in 1851. In March, 1867, he removed to Lafayette where he was many years a practitioner of high order.
Dr. Thomas Chestnut, Lafayette, was the son of parents who emigrated from Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, to Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1798. He was born, with a twin brother, in 1807. He had a very checkered career in youth and fitted himself for the ministry, but was not allowed to preach on account of his attitude toward slavery, which the Bishop then held to be right. He then turned his attention toward medicine, and accordingly made the journey on horseback from Ohio to Lafayette, Indiana. in April, 1838. He had known Dr. Deming in Ohio, and entered his office, remained two years, then not having means to enter college began the practice without, locating at Newton, Fountain county, where he hung out a modest sign "Dr. Chestnut." He attended Louisville Medical Institute in 1843, from which school he soon graduated. He then returned to his former location and thus armed with a diploma he began his practice anew, with more confidence than ever, and succeeded well. He remained at Newton until 1846, when he visited Phila-
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delphia, spent one year as house doctor, then returned to Indiana and to Lafayette city, where he located in the summer of 1847. He became a part- ner of his old preceptor, Dr. Deming, and this continued until the fearful cholera epidemic of 1849. He continued to practice at Lafayette until the fall of Fort Donelson, during the Civil war period, when he was made post surgeon and had charge of two regiments of Confederate prisoners at La- fayette. This resulted in himself and a half dozen other Lafayette doctors being appointed to army surgeon positions in the army at the front. At Corinth, with bad water, he soon contracted disease by reason of which he had to return home and for a number of years was unable to practice medi- cine, and soon after-1872-he began practice, but was made the victim of blood poison which kept him from active practice until old age overtook him. He said of his case: "I desire to record my appreciation of the lead- ing physicians of Lafayette, at the time of my advent among them. In my judgment no city in the state has more intellectual, learned and successful practitioners than this little 'Star City.' The names of Deming, Clark, Jew- ett, Jennings and McFarland will long be remembered by the residents of the city and county. All have years ago received an honorable discharge and gone to receive the reward of their labors."
Dr. William F. Cady, another eminent doctor, was a native of New York state, born in 1826, and from 1847 to 1851 was a teacher in the schools at Oswego and Syracuse. He took an active part with Horace Greeley in the agitation and final adoption of the free school system. He graduated in medicine at Albany, New York, in 1853, and entered upon the practice at Rock Island, Illinois, and there and at Davenport, Iowa, practiced until 1861. when he helped raise the Twelfth Illinois Regiment for the Union cause in the Civil war. For services at Pittsburg Landing, he was promoted to rank of surgeon and later surgeon-in-chief of his division and was in the famous Atlanta campaign. He was later made chief clerk of the Indian Bureau ; was the attending physician of Gen. John A. Rawlins, secretary of war, dur- ing his last illness. He was one of the founders of the Medical Society of Tippecanoe county ; member of the Army of the Tennessee Society and held in high esteem by all who knew him. Not alone for the money he made in his chosen profession did this man labor, but for the advancement of science and the aid he might be daily to suffering humanity.
Dr. Edwin D. Powers was another modest physician, who never "blew his own horn," but who had merit in his practice, was a native of Onondaga county, New York, born 1827. He began the study of medicine in his nine- teenth year, and remained at Syracuse until the autumn of 1848, then took
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lectures at Geneva, New York, graduating in 1850, and after practicing else- where, in July, 1859, came to Lafayette, more on account of his ill health and the climate he found here. His health was fully restored and he con- tinued to practice here with a full measure of success.
Dr. George F. Beasley, one of the oldest in practice, at Lafayette, at this date ( 1909), is a native of Montgomery county, Indiana, born in 1841. His father was a Methodist clergyman. Young Beasley entered the study of medicine in 1861, under Prof. R. L. Rea, of Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which most excellent institution he graduated in 1864, and at once secured a position in the United States Navy as acting assistant surgeon, which he held until 1865, then spent some time at Bellevue Medical Hos- pital, New York city, after which he located at Lafayette. In 1867 he was elected coroner of Tippecanoe county, serving in all until 1876. His life and character are well known to this generation. It may be added that his father died in 1863, while chaplain of the Fortieth Regiment of Indiana Volun- teers, which left the family to be largely cared for by him. As a skillful physician and expert surgeon he stands among the oklest and best in the county today.
Dr. John C. Webster, born in the township of Romney, Tippecanoe county, September 29, 1841. Both parents died when he was a mere lad. He attended the common school until the breaking out of the Civil war. On the 14th day of October of 1861, he left the school room and enlisted as a member of the Fortieth Volunteer Regiment from Indiana, serving eighteen months as a non-commissioned officer. Subsequently he was promoted to sec- ond lieutenant of Company G of the same regiment and was wounded while leading his company at Mission Ridge. At the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, in June, 1864, he was again wounded, from the effects of which he was honorably discharged from the service of his country. In September, 1866, he began the study of medicine and after graduating from Rush Medical College, associated himself with his former preceptor, Dr. John Simison, of Romney. He later removed to Lafayette where he has come to be recognized among the leading medical men of the city.
OLD-TIME PRESCRIPTION REGISTER.
At the modern drug store of Thomas W. Hogan. on the east side of the public square, is to be seen today an old druggist's prescription register that served well in the long-ago days in this city. Its pages disclose the fact that prior to 1850 there had been but one prescription written on a regular printed
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form, as is the universal custom today. This one exception was that of McFarland & Thompson, on the south side of the public square. All pre- scriptions prior to that date were written upon all sorts of paper, odd sizes, odd colors and all kinds of paper, including many written on common butch- er's wrapping paper, which one old doctor invariably employed.
Another singular fact about these early prescriptions was that nearly all were written in a beautiful handwriting. Old Dr. Noah S. Thompson wrote almost like copper-plate, and his writing looks as beautiful today as the day in which it was written-over half a century ago. It is indeed in great contrast to the penmanship of the present time physicians whose handwrit- ing is usually very hard to read, owing, possibly, to the introduction of so many modern typewriters.
Both members of the firm of McFarland & Thompson were fine physicians and surgeons, as well as expert druggists. They were both well bred, well educated Englishmen. McFarland was also one of the originators of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Lafayette. He helped secure the charter for Lodge No. 15.
At an early day Lafayette had many Englishmen in business. The city also had many Irish among its first settlement and many Frenchmen, too.
In those days many of the remedies were put up in pill form, instead of capsules and tablets, as they are today. An old "pill-tile" and an old mortar are still in the possession of Mr. Hogan. It was once the valued property of old Dr. Luther Jewett. This doctor made up prescriptions for anyone who asked for them. The ingredients of such prescriptions, if of a nice and pleasing taste, always had added to them some harmless, neutral drug that was bitter to the palate. He would make the statement that when medicine was swallowed there was a mental attitude toward it that made it effective for good, if it only tasted unpleasant. His own mind was far in advance of his own day and profession, in that he believed in the theory of "mental suggestion," which at that day was hardly known to anyone.
Dr. John Isler used to write a prescription of many ingredients on a slip of paper about one by two inches, and in a most excellent style of pen- manship.
Dr. Clark has a prescription in the book as big as a note head. written for the wife of Lafayette's finest artist. George Winter, father of Mrs. Gordon Ball.
Dr. Fahnestock, father of the present Dr. Fahnestock, dentist, has many prescriptions in this register, all written in an elegant manner.
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E. T. & W. T. McFarland succeeded McFarland & Thompson, and Thomas Hogan began his career as a druggist with the firm in 1865; he retained his position with the old firm of Tinney & Moore until he purchased that store and has now been in business many years, being fifty-nine years of age, and expects to remain in until he is sixty-two, and then turn over his business to his sons.
From the above it will be discovered that the methods of druggists and doctors have materially changed in the last half century. The old prescrip- tion register at Druggist Hogan's is indeed a rare old curiosity. It was written up recently, in a catalogue of the Park Davis wholesale drug house, as being a relic of by-gone times.
MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
The history of the forming and breaking up and re-organizing of medi- cal societies and associations within Tippecanoe, would fill a small volume of itself, but for the purpose of making a permanent record in this county his- tory, it will suffice to give the following outline of such societies, as given by the pen of Dr. George F. Beasley, who wrote for an historical sketch in IS78, as follows (in substance ) :
The first society devoted exclusively to the medical profession in Tippe- canoe county was formed December 25, 1846-a sort of Christmas greet- ing to the community. Dr. C. F. Wilstach, long since deceased, presided at this meeting, with Dr. Halliday as secretary. This was before the days of the American Medical Association, so they had to formulate a code of ethics for themselves. The committee to do such work was made up of Drs. Wil- stach, McFarland and Clark.
At the next meeting, which was held in January, 1847. the committee reported a constitution for the society. 'This was no long-spun-out affair, but short and to the point. A name was then chosen for the infant organi- zation, which was styled the "Medical Society of the Town of Lafayette." A fee-bill was also made up at this meeting, at least a committee appointed to look such business up, and this committee was Drs. Fairman, Yeakle and McFarland, who reported the next week, and today its provisions may seem not a little odd to those both within and without the profession. Such fea- tures as the term "phlebotomy." "phlebotomy of the neck," "extraction of teeth," and many expressions now unknown to the physician. They also decided at that second meeting that "night" began at ten o'clock p. m. and ended at five o'clock a. m. in summer and seven o'clock in the winter. Being
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sick was not as much a luxury then as now, as appears from the charges, which were indeed low. Prescriptions were not written then, as is the cus- tom today, but each physician issued his own remedies, in their strict purity and hence there was no middle man to blame if it did not produce the healing effect the doctor designed for it.
The first essay read at the meetings of this pioneer medical society was that of Dr. Deming. April 12, 1847; subject "Erysipelas." Drs. O'Farrall and Wilstach read essays during that year on two subjects of interest to the physicians of that day. The one on diseases of the larynx, and more particularly their treatment by the application of the remedies directly to the diseased parts. This provoked considerable discussion; the treatment was at variance with that which had been established by custom, that to abandon was like breaking off from old associates. The doctor, however, carried his point and there won many converts. At that meeting the name of the so- ciety was changed to that of the "Tippecanoe County Medical Society."
The doctors of those "good old days" were more patriotic, perhaps, and less selfish than at present. They held a meeting March 29, 1848. to take action in reference to joining other societies of Lafayette in celebrating the funeral obsequies of the then late Hon. John Quincy. A motion was passed that they attend in a body. It caused much levity among the uninitiated; in fact it was a spectacle to be long remembered-the entire medical frater- nity walking solemnly to a funeral which was not one of their own making; perhaps if it had been they would not have been so demonstrative.
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